


Any Number of Candles

by Astral_Bees



Category: IT (2017), IT (2019), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Because my birthday was this month, F/M, Hanbrough, I don't recommend it, I really though I was done writing IT fics with the last one, I was wrong, Just them celebrating their births as kids and then as adults, Losers Club (IT) Friendship, M/M, Reddie, This time it's birthday stuff, basically 1989 and 2016, benverly - Freeform, kinda OOC, sorry - Freeform, the last chapter is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 01:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 11,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21236126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astral_Bees/pseuds/Astral_Bees
Summary: These are just little birthday fics for each of the Losers. That's basically it. These idiot children celebrating. And later on, these idiot adults celebrating.





	1. Bill Denbrough

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly these only exist because I had my own birthday on my mind. So, yeah. Birthdays, they exist

There was always a sort of anticipation the day of. Birthdays just had a way of making an ordinary day something special. At least, that was how it felt to Bill. It was his day and he could simply bask in the weird buzz it gave him. He was still young enough that his birthday felt like a celebration instead of something that meant the future was coming too fast. As far as he knew, the future was coming at the right pace. It wasn’t. But that wasn’t his problem right then and there, he just had to focus on having a good day. So, he went downstairs and started his birthday the way most start every day, with breakfast.

The hours before the party seemed to last longer than was possible, but eventually the time arrived. Bill waited as the guests began to trickle in and finally, they appeared. The Losers. His Losers. He hurried over to them and rounded them up in the living room. The party had officially begun.

The seven of them separated a bit from the rest of the party. Bill had to break off from the group every once in a while, when his parents insisted he greet guests. Though when they were all together, it felt like they were the only guests at the party.

As music played softly in the background, Bev and Richie danced slowly with each other. Bill took Stan’s hand and pulled him into a similar stance. The four of them swayed gently until the song ended and they all began to dance as a group. Their dancing became a mess of limbs as they jumped and flailed about. It seemed like a never-ending moment.

“Ow, what the fuck?” Eddie exclaimed, leaning down. “You smashed my foot!”

“I didn’t smash your foot. And it was just an accident,” Richie said.

“It doesn’t matter if it was an accident if you broke my toe. You shouldn’t dance like that with your big, huge feet, idiot.”

“Ouch Eds, you sure know how to wound a guy.”

“Don’t call me Eds!”

“Hey gu-guys, let’s duh-do something else,” Bill intervened carefully.

Eddie stared at him for a moment, but then Richie broke out in a stupid grin.

“You should open your presents, Big Bill! See how great of a gift giver I am,” Richie said, hurrying to grab the box he had brought with him.

He thrust the present into Bill’s hands and sat on the ground, playing up his excitement. Eddie had since calmed down and settled on a chair off to the side. The other Losers had simply been watching as everything went down, but now they were waiting for Bill to open Richie’s gift.

Bill held the box carefully, looking down at it like it might bite him. He glanced back at Richie, who seemed far too eager, and then began to open the box. Inside were a pair of glasses and… an inkblot?

He pulled the glasses out of the box and looked at Richie with a question written across his face.

“Wuh-wuh-why is there an inkblot? And glasses?”

“The glasses are to help with the writer look you need. The inkblot isn’t quite what it seems, you should take it out,” Richie stood up quickly to hold the box for Bill.

Bill put the glasses on and pulled the inkblot out. Richie was right, it wasn’t what Bill had originally thought it was, it was a notebook instead of a single sheet. Apparently, another addition to the writer persona Richie was convinced he needed to perfect.

“Thanks, Rich,” Bill smiled and looked around the room through the glasses. “How do I look? Like a proper writer?”

Richie nodded and patted Bill on the head.

“I had the instinct to tell you I lost my book report the second you put them on, you’re that convincing.”

Stan came over to the two, holding a bag. He handed it over to Bill and the other Losers took that as a sign to get up and grab all of the gifts they had brought. They sat back in their spots with presents ready to go for Bill.

After opening all of the gifts the Losers had gotten him, Bill found himself in possession of non-prescription frames, a couple of notebooks and colored pencils, and a brand-new bell for Silver from Stan. Eddie had also included a box of band-aids with his gift and Bill couldn’t tell if it was a joke or not. He didn’t bother asking.

It felt nice knowing the Losers had been paying attention to him. He tried not to talk too much about his writing, but the support was welcomed.

The party started to wind down after the cake was served and the Losers started to file out. Eddie left first, since Mrs. K was waiting for him, probably counting down the minutes until his return. Then Bev headed out, followed soon after by Stan and Ben.

Soon enough it was just Richie, Bill, and Mike. The three of them listened to the music playing in the background and Richie pulled the two into an odd three-person dance. They danced like that for a bit before Mike said he had to go as well. With that, it was just Richie and Bill. The party was on its way to an end.

On Richie’s way out, he turned back to Bill.

“Happy birthday Bill. Don’t forget to go to the clubhouse tomorrow,” he winked as he left.

The next day Bill headed down into the clubhouse, looking around for whatever Richie had wanted him to find. In the corner, on a table he found something covered in a tablecloth. When he pulled the sheet off, he was left staring down at a typewriter with a note on it. The note read: ‘Happy birthday Big Bill. -The Losers (P.S. Don’t use too much symbolism. I hate those writers. Be better. -Richie)’

He smiled softly to himself and ran his fingers lightly across the keys. It was a great birthday.


	2. Beverly Marsh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another birthday. Buckle in

There was a knot settled in Bev’s stomach. There was a knot in her stomach every year on her birthday. She knew what getting older could mean. It was why she was so afraid.

Bev closed her eyes again, wishing she could simply sleep through the day. With a sigh, she pushed herself off her bed and got ready. The most she could hope for was a good day at school without any big mentions of her birthday.

The Losers had caught on pretty quickly when it came to how she felt about her birthday. They didn’t mention it or give any birthday presents. Instead, they found loopholes. Throughout the year, they would give her little gifts here and there. Sometimes they were smaller things, like rings and fabric. One year, Richie just kept slipping her buttons. She had no idea where he was getting all of them, but she didn’t bother questioning it. Other times the Losers would pitch in together to get her something a little bit bigger. At some point they had gathered enough money to buy her a used sewing machine. It didn’t work perfectly, but it was still faster than sewing by hand.

As Bev sat through her first class, everything seemed normal. She felt a little bit shaky, but otherwise it was just a regular day. Nobody had acknowledged her in any different ways than usual. It was shaping up to be as good as a birthday could get for her.

The day continued on in its typical way, passing her by. She would get through her birthday and be fine. It would all be fine for another day.

Thankfully, her classes went by quickly enough and she could seek refuge in the clubhouse for a while. She stuck one of Stan’s shower caps on her head, just for the comfort. It wasn’t long before Ben and Richie showed up. Bev was glad to have company, but she still felt herself bristle at the idea of one of them saying something.

Though as the time passed, she could tell they weren’t going to acknowledge what day it was, and they could just hang out. Like they always did. Without the idea of her birthday looming over their heads.

With the realization that her birthday had gone ignored, Bev followed suit. She ignored it and pushed through. The rest of the Losers ended up in the clubhouse and they acted exactly as they normally did. It was all she could ask for.

She spent as long as she could with the Losers, just shooting the shit. The day was actually turning out quite well. Richie and Stan were wrapped up in a conversation of their own, Eddie seemed nervous about something, Bill and Mike had a book between the two of them, and Ben was going around making sure the clubhouse was ok. Bev pulled out a cigarette, lighting it easily and took a puff. This was what she enjoyed, doing whatever with her boys.

The day began to end, and Bev figured she should probably head back to the apartment, even though she wanted to fall asleep in the clubhouse. She felt safe there. It was a place just for her and the rest of the Losers. But she had to go back at some point. She didn’t need to upset her dad.

Closing the door quietly behind her, Bev hurried off to her bedroom. It seemed like maybe her dad was asleep and she wasn’t willing to risk waking him up, so she moved quickly but silently. Once she was in her room, Bev pulled out a small box she had hidden away. Inside there were the little trinkets the Losers had given her throughout the year. Bev pulled out the postcard she kept tucked away at the bottom and read the poem written on it to herself.

Tomorrow would be a better day, it wouldn’t be her birthday, but the day hadn’t been the worst. And she was one year closer to getting away from him and finding something new. As she let her thoughts drift to a positive future, Bev drifted off to sleep.

When she woke the next day, she wasn’t as nervous. It was just another typical day with only her regular problems to deal with.

School seemed exactly the same as usual, until she got to her locker. She noticed something small that she must have missed the day before. As she reached inside, her fingers wrapped around a piece of lace with something tied within. She placed the lace wrapped object into one of her pockets and headed off to her next class.

She was itching to look at whatever it was that had been waiting in her locker but refrained until she had gotten out of school. Bev didn’t want to risk someone snatching it away from her, whether it be a teacher or one of the girls like Greta.

Outside, hidden from view at the side of the school, Bev retrieved the fabric covered object from her pocket and unraveled the lace. Within the lace, rested a silver heart shaped locket on a thin chain. She pulled it open, half assuming the locket would be empty. One side of the locket was empty, but the other side had a piece of paper tucked inside that read ‘My heart burns there too.’

She couldn’t help but smile just a little, even if it was technically a birthday gift. Moments later, Bev rounded the corner to head away from the school. And now she was wearing three necklaces instead of two.


	3. Richie Tozier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I no longer know what to put for these

His birthday just wasn’t the most important thing. Or the most memorable. At least that’s what it seemed like. Richie didn’t do big celebrations, or more honestly, his parents didn’t. They wished him a happy birthday, but after that he was pretty much on his own for birthday plans. He didn’t bother telling the Losers about all of that, didn’t bother reminding them it was his birthday. It didn’t really matter.

So, when he got to the clubhouse and saw that they were all just doing what they normally did, he didn’t feel all that disappointed. Richie had told himself to expect that, that way it didn’t throw him off. What did throw him off was the fact that when he arrived, Bill asked him if he wanted to go to the arcade.

Richie had just gotten to the clubhouse and now Bill wanted him to turn right around. He hadn’t even thought Bill really liked going to the arcade all that much, maybe he was wrong. Of course, he agreed. Why wouldn’t he? They biked off in the direction of the arcade, away from the rest of the Losers. It wasn’t until they got about halfway that Richie started to question their course of travel.

“Hey Bill, the arcade is a left. Did you forget which way left is since you can’t use your hands while riding?”

“Sh-sh-shortcut Trashmouth,” was all Bill had to offer as means of explanation.

Richie didn’t know of any shortcut to the arcade that meant taking a right, but he didn’t push the matter further. It would be fine, he trusted Bill.

However, he couldn’t deny it was becoming more and more obvious that the shortcut wasn’t real. Bill was taking him on a completely different route, towards somewhere else entirely. It wasn’t like Richie had any better options though and he liked spending time with Bill. It was Big Bill after all, the de facto leader, one of Richie’s best friends. He just didn’t get why they had left the clubhouse for whatever this was.

And then it came into view, a building that raised more questions than it answered. The roller-skating rink. Bill wanted to roller-skate?

Bill stopped outside of the building and hopped off his bike, waiting for Richie to follow suit. Richie did as expected, but he still wasn’t sure what exactly was happening. This wasn’t what they tended to do, especially just the two of them. But his questions were answered when he entered the roller-skating rink.

A chorus of ‘surprise’ was recited from six distinct voices around him. A party. They had thrown him a fucking party. In the roller-skating rink. And then he couldn’t stop smiling. He wasn’t used to this, surprise parties being thrown for him. It was exciting. It was new. It was fucking fantastic.

“Whoa, hey, you know you could’ve said ‘let’s go to the roller-skating rink,’ right? Would have been a lot less suspicious than saying arcade and then coming here. For a minute there I thought you’d had enough of me, were gonna bring an end to the great Trashmouth,” Richie said to Bill, the grin still plastered across his face.

“Oh, just be thu-thankful it wasn’t a mu-murder plot.”

“Yes, thank you all for not getting together to kill me,” Richie bowed as he spoke.

“Birthday man, let’s skate!” Bev took Richie’s hand and led him over to the counter.

Once all seven of them had skates on, it was time to hit the rink. Richie and Bev took off first, using each other for balance. It seemed to be a losing battle, especially when Richie went down and took Bev with him, laughing the entire time. Stan was doing pretty well on his skates and Bill was slow but steady. Eddie was gripping the rail as though it was the only thing keeping him from certain death. Mike had good balance but kept a hand on the rail just in case. Ben seemed to be having the hardest time staying upright, aside from Richie and Bev.

Nearly all of them were a mess, struggling to skate without falling over every few moments. Richie had somehow managed to strand himself in the middle of the rink, with Bev just a short distance from him. With low hopes of being able to move without falling over, he sat down on the ground and began to crawl across to the carpet.

Halfway to the carpet, Richie stopped and looked around at the others. Laughter bubbled up within him and poured out of his mouth. He was absolutely certain he must look like a complete fucking idiot, crawling across the roller-skating rink. Bev caught his eye and started laughing, too. Soon enough, the laughter had caught and all seven of them were laughing with no idea as to why anymore. So, when Ben lost the battle of staying on his feet, all of their laughter got stronger. They sat in that moment for a bit, before they all worked their way back onto the carpet.

The rest of the day went by with a lot more laughter and a handful of stupid gifts. It was simple enough, but the fact that they had remembered his birthday, meant so much more. Of course, Richie would never admit this, it didn’t match his persona that he had so carefully crafted. But they knew. They could read him.

When Richie got home that night, it didn’t feel like he had been forgotten or brushed under the rug. The Losers had made sure he was front and center. His face was still a little sore from all of the laughing and smiling he had done. He kept replaying little parts of the day over and over in his mind, Bev falling on top of him, all of them laughing together, just the whole thing. It was his day. They had made it feel like it was truly his day.

Richie wasn’t sure perfect days existed, but if they did, he had just had one of his own.


	4. Ben Hanscom

Ben was excited, but he was excited the same way he usually was about his birthday. It was going to be a good day. He would see the Losers and there would be a party, though not both at once. He hadn’t told the Losers about the party his parents were throwing, but he knew they would probably be at the clubhouse later. It meant a lot to him that they seemed to enjoy the clubhouse, that they enjoyed his presence in the Losers Club.

It was a new thought altogether that he would have a whole group of friends to hang out with on his birthday. His parents greeted him cheerily, wishing him a happy birthday. With a kiss on his cheek and a reminder to be home for the party, Ben headed off to see his friends.

The clubhouse looked abandoned when he first arrived, but with a closer look he noticed Mike was there. Still, it seemed he was the only one.

Ben settled down in the clubhouse, making easy conversation with Mike. It was nice being able to just talk. The two of them. They let their thoughts travel to the future and how there were so many things they would be able to do. Mike spoke of the different places he wanted to visit, having added more since the last time he had brought up the topic. Ben mentioned a little bit of where he had last lived, trying to contribute possible ideas and destinations.

As they spoke, the other Losers started to file into the clubhouse. One by one they filled in the background noise that had been missing. All of the constant noise brought a soft smile to Ben’s face. He didn’t think it could ever get old, the sounds of all of them together.

He and Mike continued their conversation for a bit, only stopping when Mike paused and looked at the others. It was like he was making sure they were all ready for something.

“Do you want to go get some ice cream, man?”

The question wasn’t exactly one Ben had been expecting, but who was he to say no. So, he agreed to go. And as they got up, he noticed the other Losers getting ready to head along with them. Oh, a group thing. He smiled again as they all set off.

The seven of them hovered outside the ice cream shop, cones and cups in hand. Ben and Bev took bites of one another’s ice cream, sharing chocolate and vanilla. It felt nice to be with friends, sharing ice cream with Beverly Marsh. The girl with the fiery hair.

Unfortunately, as the minutes ticked by, Ben was becoming increasingly aware of his upcoming party. He was mentally kicking himself for not inviting the Losers, and as he broke off from the group, he thought about mentioning it then. Instead he rode his bike back home, slightly disappointed in himself for leaving it unsaid once again.

His mood perked up as he entered his home and saw the colorful decorations his parents had put up in the time he had been gone. It was a reminder that he was older now, and he was excited.

The party started off slowly, as most parties tend to do. Guests arrived, wished him a happy birthday, and headed off to mingle. Ben was happy with it, he was, he just also wanted to go back in time and invite the Losers. There was something lonely about having a birthday party without your best friends. It was while this thought flickered in his mind that the door opened, and the Losers walked in. Which was a surprise, to say the least.

Ben greeted them energetically, confused but insanely happy.

“But how did you guys know? I didn’t even tell you my birthday was today.”

“Your parents saw me at the butcher a few days ago and I think they must have heard you talk about me because they just, invited me over for your party. I figured the invitation could also apply to all five of my plus ones,” Mike said.

“Unless you didn’t want us here?” Bev added with a smirk.

Ben shook his head quickly, “No, I definitely do. I’m so glad you’re all here!”

They took up residence in the middle of the party, acting like stupid teenagers the whole time. Because that’s exactly what they were, stupid teenagers, and they deserved to act like that.

All six of the other Losers took turns dancing with Ben. Bev let her head rest on his shoulder while they had danced for just a moment. And then, so as not to be bested, Richie danced with Ben for a second time, making sure to rest his head on Ben’s shoulder as well.

The party continued with noise and joy and love.

By the end of it, Eddie had fallen asleep next to Richie, who seemed like he might’ve vomited if Eddie’s head had tilted onto his shoulder. Stan and Bill seemed a bit drowsy as well. Mike, Bev, and Richie were still going strong, aside from the aforementioned on the verge of puking aspect of things.

The four of them talked quietly for a while, not really sticking to any topic for too long. But eventually, it was time for the party to come to an actual ending.

“Yeah, I should probably get Eddie back to his house before Mrs. K has a cow. I mean if he misses his curfew, we’ll all be stuck seeing his stupid face everywhere on missing posters,” Richie said as he started to stand.

“You’re a good friend, Rich,” Ben said around a soft yawn.

Richie stared at him for a moment, before shrugging off the compliment.

“Just making sure Mrs. K doesn’t have a heart attack. She and I have a torrid love affair going on right now, would be a shame if it ended so abruptly.”

Ben, Mike, and Bev nodded slightly, just going along with Richie’s jokes.

He woke Eddie up and the two left with a quick goodbye. Mike figured he should probably do the same with Bill and Stan, since it didn’t seem like they would be waking up on their own any time soon. The two woke up after some gentle prodding and, along with Mike, they made their way to the door. But before leaving completely, Mike gave Ben a quick hug.

“Happy birthday.”

Ben smiled and turned around to see Bev was waiting with him by the door.

“I should probably get going too,” she said, and then glanced at some of the decorations. “It was a really nice party. Your folks did a good job.”

“Thanks. They like to put effort into it. I think sometimes they do it up a little more to make up for the lack of friends.”

Bev’s eyes found Ben’s again as she shrugged slightly.

“Well, you’ve got us now, new kid.”

She moved closer to the door, but then turned back to him, remembering something. Bev pulled a small rectangle out of one of her pockets and slipped into his hand.

“I’m sure you’ll recognize your pals on there, but I added some new stuff too. Hope you like it.”

And with that, she walked out the door.

When Ben looked down to see what she had given him, he saw a cassette labeled ‘Stay Cool New Kid.’ A smile was plastered across his face and he felt butterflies in his stomach. It was nice to have friends who cared.


	5. Mike Hanlon

It was still dark out when Mike woke up. He wasn’t unused to an early morning, but since he didn’t have to do anything just that moment, he waited in his room for the sun to rise. As light began to seep into his room, he moved towards the window to see the colors of the sky. The pinks and oranges filled the view outside his window, and he wished he could live in those tones for the rest of the day.

With the sun out and the sky filling with blue, Mike left his room to get the day started. It might have been his birthday, but there were still animals that needed feeding. He went outside and made his way through his chores quickly enough.

The day was nothing special, normal and pleasant. It wasn’t too hot out despite the time and the day would hopefully only get cooler.

Mike rode into town, making the day’s deliveries, before riding down to the library. He grabbed a few books on Derry and a few more on places that weren’t too far away. The books detailed different tourist attractions in neighboring towns and for a moment, he honestly considered riding into the next town over. He didn’t of course, there wasn’t time for that. But someday he would make it farther than Derry, Maine.

“Muh-Mike?” A voice sounded from behind him.

He turned to see Bill standing just a few steps away. Mike hadn’t expected to see any of them until later. But it was a nice surprise.

“Hey Bill, what’re you doing here?”

Bill lifted a book in response and Mike just smiled.

“Oh, right.”

“Yeah,” Bill moved to take a seat at Mike’s table. “Wuh-what are you reading, Muh-Mikey?”

Mike slid the book he was looking at over to Bill. It was open to a wide shot of a Florida beach. Somewhere that looked warm and bright.

Bill glanced over the pages, taking in the spread. He flipped through a few more of the pages before sliding the book back to Mike. It wasn’t unusual for Mike to look at travel books and try to make a list of different places he wanted to visit.

“Still wuh-want t-to go to Florida, huh?” he smiled at Mike as he spoke.

Mike nodded and let his eyes drift to the pages in front of him. Of course, he still wanted to go to Florida. It was somewhere other than Derry. Something new.

The two of them discussed different books that they had read or were planning on reading. They didn’t always get to hang out like that, just the two of them. It was nice, being able to have a conversation with Bill one-on-one. Mike had gotten used to the group, but it could be pleasant to talk with only one of the others. Especially Bill.

“Do you want me to take you buh-back home?” Bill asked as they were getting ready to leave.

Mike paused for a moment.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I mean, you’d be making the trip down there later anyway, right?”

Bill nodded and he and Mike rode off in the direction of Mike’s. The farm appeared to be empty, Mike’s parents seemingly having gone out in the time since he left.

They left their bikes outside the house and made their way over towards the barn. Some of the animals were making noises, but their surroundings were overwhelmingly calm. Bill and Mike sat on the grass, looking out at the fields around them. Mike leaned back on his elbows, gazing up at the sky. He let his eyes wander to Bill every once in a while, as they sat there. It was a picture-perfect moment.

His parents arrived before too long, but they didn’t bother the boys. So, Mike and Bill stayed as they were, sharing a relaxed conversation, until the rest of the Losers arrived.

“Hey fuckers, the party’s arrived!” Richie’s voice sounded from somewhere just a bit off.

The other five Losers came into view a few seconds later, with Bev and Ben settling down beside them. Eddie and Stan stood off to the side, uncomfortable with the idea of sitting on the grass. Meanwhile, Richie had wandered over to the fence and decided to perch on it.

Mike’s parents called them in after some time for cake. They sang happy birthday and Mike opened his presents, before the Losers headed back out to the field.

The sun had since gone down, and the stars were twinkling. And the Losers, happily filled up with cake, danced and laughed and talked beneath the night sky. Once their energy had run low, they all settled back down on the grass. Stan and Eddie had since given up on refusing to sit on the ground, the two of them end capping the others on either side. If Mike had looked closely, he might have noticed how Richie’s hand was mere inches from Eddie’s, hesitating to get any closer. Instead, he was staring at the stars.

“There’s Cassiopeia,” Mike said, pointing up at the stars. “And the big dipper is over there.”

Six pairs of eyes turned to the sky, searching for the constellations Mike had mentioned.

“It’s pretty out tonight,” Ben said, quietly.

“Yeah, it is,” Mike nodded, looking at the stars wistfully.

He could feel his thoughts drifting to what all of those stars could mean. They meant that there was more out there, and they were so beautiful. And then his thoughts moved to everything right around him, everyone right around him. Mike couldn’t help but be happy in that moment, surrounded by stars and friends. He closed his eyes, his face tilted towards the sky.

“I love all of you guys,” he said.

And even though his eyes were closed, Mike could feel a few sets of eyes looking over at him. A short silence followed his comment, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

“Wuh-we love you too, Mikey,” Bill replied, softly.

Mike looked over at him and then glanced at the others, a few of them nodding silently. He smiled peacefully, letting the moment play out. How lovely it was to be loved by six Losers.


	6. Stanley Uris

Stan’s birthday parties were never bad per se, they were just dull. It was always too quiet or too stiff, just off enough to make the party bland. Even with the Losers around, especially since his parents insisted they keep a calm appearance. It was like he and the Losers had to maintain a watered-down version of themselves to celebrate his birthday.

Which was exactly the situation they had found themselves in. The seven of them had commandeered any available seats they could find and were trying to talk quietly, an uncommon occurrence for Eddie.

Due to the lack of open seating, Richie and Eddie had decided to perch on the arms of Stan’s chair. This choice had led to a long sigh and more than one instance of Stan rolling his eyes. The others had all managed to grab separate seats in close proximity, and Stan had caught Bev trying not to laugh at his predicament a few times. Richie and Eddie knew exactly what they were doing, sandwiching him between them. And while he played it up like he was done with the situation, and he was to a certain extent, he also kind of enjoyed it.

He was happy enough, and slightly annoyed, but Stan was still wishing his party felt like it was actually for him. Instead, it just felt like a family function he had been forced to attend. But eventually they would celebrate properly, or as properly as they could manage.

The party his parents threw lasted longer than he had hoped but when it was done, he felt like he could breathe again. Tomorrow, he had just kept reminding himself. Tomorrow.

The next day, Stan headed down to the clubhouse. Upon his arrival, he saw that there were a few little decorations up, including a banner that read ‘Happy Birthday Stan the Man.’   
It already felt more like a party that was truly for him and not just for appearances.

The Losers greeted him cheerily, calling out a quick happy birthday.

“Stan the Man! Stan the Man!” Richie chanted, circling around Stan.

“Richie, if you want to start a cult, don’t use my name.”

“A cult! Stan, you genius!” Richie paused for a moment, turning to the others with a glint in his eyes. “It’s cult time! Stan the Man! Stan the Man!”

He picked up where he had left off, with more energy than before. Bev was the first to join his chant, followed by Bill and then all the others. And with that, there was a loud cacophony of six voices chanting ‘Stan the Man’ over and over. It lasted nearly a full minute before Richie finally stopped. But still, at least they were able to be themselves.

Richie grabbed a hold of Stan’s hands, spinning both of them in a circle a couple of times. Stan let the moment absorb him for just a moment, a light laugh escaping him. He felt genuinely happy.

After the moment passed and the two of them were standing still again, Bill came over with a small box in his hands. Stan furrowed his brows for a second as he looked at the box, they had already given him gifts yesterday. But Bill just handed him the box and smiled.

“It’s fuh-fuh-for later.”

“Thanks, but that doesn’t clear anything up,” Stan said, moving to open the box.

Bill stopped him from doing so by gently placing his hand on top of Stan’s. When he pulled his hand away, he shook his head once to solidify his point. Stan smiled softly and held the box as it was. He would just have to wait a little bit longer.

The time had apparently come for them to leave the clubhouse, the rest of the day’s events were on their way. Bill and Mike led the way out and further into the trees. They walked for a bit until Mike turned around to face Stan. He gestured around at the trees in a vague manner, taking a moment to look at them himself.

“Go ahead, you can open the box now,” Mike said, looking back over at Stan.

Stan did as he was told and opened the box in his hands. He pulled out a chord with something attached to it, like a necklace.

“A whistle?” he asked, glancing between Bill and Mike.

“A bird whistle,” Bill answered.

A smile lit up Stan’s face and it clicked why they were standing amongst the trees. He put the whistle to his lips and gave it a quick blow, hoping there would be some sort of reply. After waiting a moment with no bird call in return, Stan tried again. This time there was a distant call mimicking the one the whistle had given off. He waited again before blowing the whistle a third time. Another call sounded, closer than before.

The Losers were turning in circles, trying to see the bird in the trees as Stan continued sounding the whistle. The return calls were getting closer with each call Stan made.

“Wait guys, over there!” Ben whispered and pointed off into the near distance.

Stan turned so quickly in the direction Ben was pointing that he almost tripped over his own feet. At first, he didn’t notice anything, but when he focused on some of the trees, he caught sight of a flash of blue. He raised the whistle up to his lips again, setting off another call. The blue in the distance flew to a closer branch, allowing the Losers to get a better look. A blue jay. His smile grew as he stared up at the light blue bird. 

Maybe his birthday was something that could actually be nice. Maybe all it had been missing were the Losers and some bird themed adventuring.


	7. Eddie Kaspbrak

Things with his mother had been tense, but she still put together a small party. It wasn’t for Eddie though, it was for his family. So they could see her little Eddie bear, gawking at how much he had grown and how time was moving so quickly. Insincere niceties from family members he saw maybe a couple of times a year, if that. His real family was never invited. The Losers weren’t allowed at Mrs. Kaspbrak’s parties for Eddie, she simply didn’t approve.

Eddie had to wait out the entirety of the event, alone. And it lasted far too long for his liking. But he knew it couldn’t last forever and that was what got him through the party that was supposed to be for him. Plus, the Losers had something planned for after it was finally over.

So, he sat, and he smiled as best as he could, playing the game that he had been presented with. There wasn’t really much else he could do. Just talking to family he barely knew, sitting on a tarnished pedestal that could only hold the weight of his cast. He was preserved under a glass case, but they could look and point, saying how they hadn’t seen him since he was a baby. It felt suffocating.

The second the party ended, and he was no longer obligated to be there, Eddie fled. He got on his bike and rode to the clubhouse as fast as he could. Under normal circumstances, he would be frightened by the speed he was going, but all he could think about was getting away. He just wanted to get to Bill and Stan and Richie. Get to the Losers. His actual family, the ones that cared about him and knew him. Somewhere he was safe, even if it was dusty and filled with spiders, and possibly falling apart.

Eddie climbed down into the clubhouse, ready to move on with his day. He saw that Richie was lying in the hammock and for a moment was tempted to join him, just forgetting about his birthday. But before he could act on the thought, Richie sprung up and hurried to another part of the clubhouse.

He came back with cupcakes in hand and the other Losers gathered around.

“Happy birthday Eds!”

“Richie!”

“What?”

“Don’t fucking call me Eds!”

Richie smirked and held a cupcake out to him, not saying anything else. Eddie took the cupcake from him, biting into it quickly to hide the small smile forming on his face. He didn’t absolutely hate it when Richie called him Eds. In fact, there wasn’t a lot he hated when Richie did it, even if he acted like he did.

The frosting was sweet and the thought that he shouldn’t be eating it fluttered through his mind, but Eddie pushed past that and took another bite. He was going to enjoy what remained of his birthday, Mrs. K’s rules be damned. It was his day after all, he should be able to do what he wanted and have fun with his friends.

With cupcake filling his mouth, Eddie looked at his friends in slight awe. Somehow, with a single cupcake they had already managed to make his birthday better than his mother could ever hope to.

Eddie noticed Stan gesture to the others in his peripheral vision and when he turned to look, they were holding small boxes and cards. After opening everything, Eddie had a total of five birthday cards with flowers on the front, a flower patch from Bev, a little flower charm from Ben that was already hanging from the zipper of his fanny pack, and a pack of flower pattern band aids from Stan. Richie was the only who hadn’t gotten him a flower related present, he had given him a slip of paper. ‘Valid for one movie with the great Trashmouth.’

And it wasn’t until he looked back up at his friends that he noticed he had tears in his eyes. He blinked them away before they could slip down his cheeks. Eddie wasn’t even sure why he had been about to cry, but there he was, on the verge of tears because of his dumbass friends.

“Thank you,” he said, quietly. “Really.”

They spent the rest of the day being kids and having fun, the way that they should always be able. It was a far cry from what Mrs. K’s idea of a party was, and it was perfect.

At one point, Eddie couldn’t stop laughing and it was refreshing. Stan had gotten frosting smeared on his face and for some reason, it was the funniest thing that had happened. His face hurt and his eyes were watering, but it was from pure joy. Something he never really felt when Mrs. K was breathing down his neck. The Losers knew how to make him happy. They made him feel like he could breathe and laugh and just exist.

It was always a little bit of a shock to the system when Eddie went from being around his mother to hanging out with the Losers. The feeling of her idea of love contrasted so deeply with theirs. He savored those moments together, trying to make them last for as long as possible.

Within that following week, Eddie cashed in on Richie’s gift. They saw an interesting enough movie, just the two of them. It wasn’t all that odd, they’d seen movies together before. But when their arms had ended up brushing against one another on the arm rest, neither of them bothered to move. They stayed like that, arms lightly touching, until the movie ended, and the lights came up. Richie didn’t say anything about it, so Eddie kept quiet too. It wasn’t a big deal. They were friends and their arms had simply been touching a bit, nothing weird. So then, why did it feel important?

That birthday wasn’t the best and that movie wasn’t the most outstanding, but it always managed to remind Eddie that he wasn’t alone. He never would be so long as the Losers were around.


	8. 27 Years Later: Bill

A calm birthday sounded like a good idea after everything. Bill didn’t have any desires for a big celebration, so when the others had suggested a dinner instead, he was more than happy to go with that.

When Mike offered to host the birthday dinner, the Losers all knew that was the best choice. Mike hosting meant good food and no need to worry about annoying any workers. So, the plans were set in place and Bill’s birthday dinner was underway. It didn’t take too long to get everything prepped, especially since the travel times for all of the Losers gave Mike a number of days to do so.

As they all came into town, it became abundantly clear that having all of the Losers staying in one house was the perfect recipe for a fun mess. Of course, Eddie and Richie bickered quite commonly, getting on Stan’s nerves every now and again. Patty seemed to be a good addition to the mix though, bringing Stan back to the moment. Ben and Bev were still pretty wrapped up in one another, but they were also eager to spend time with everyone. After 27 years, it was apparent that absence does in fact make the heart grow fonder.

Bill helped Mike with the dinner whenever he could, and Ben took time to assist with baking the cake. The three of them made a good team of chefs, but sometimes they would get distracted just talking. More than once, a dish had ended up a tad overcooked because they were catching up.

Soon enough the dinner was upon them and they gathered a couple extra chairs, cramming themselves into position around the dining table. They talked through the meal, Eddie scolding Richie a few times when he caught him talking with his mouth full. And after their plates had been cleared away, Mike and Ben entered with a cake full of candles. A chorus of happy birthday picked up leading to Bill blowing out what must have been 41 candles.

“What’d you wish for?” Ben asked.

“Probably for better endings to all of his past books,” Stan chimed in.

Bill snorted slightly at that and nodded.

“That was definitely it. You guh-got it right on the nose, Stan the Man.”

He stood and started cutting the now candle-free cake, passing slices out. Once everyone had a piece, they went back to talking about anything and everything. Stan and Patty revealed they were thinking about having kids, which led to many comments from Richie. Ben and Bev brought up possible wedding dates they had been debating. Bill couldn’t think of a better way to have spent his birthday.

His hand found Mike’s on the table, intertwining their fingers with practiced ease. Sometimes it felt like all the time that had passed was a chasm between them, it felt like it could break them apart. But when the Losers actually spoke or saw each other, Bill realized just how wrong that feeling was. How it was just in his head. They were all back together for good. If a demonic clown couldn’t tear them away from one another, distance sure as hell wouldn’t be able to.

There was something amazing about being together again and Bill smiled as he watched the people he loved most, just existing with each other.


	9. 27 Years Later: Bev

Bev’s birthday still wasn’t her favorite. But with the time that had passed and memories that didn’t sting quite so much, she was beginning to come around. Plus, it was another excuse for the now eight of them to meet up. She was always thankful for any chance of seeing the Losers. They were her family, which was what had always been missing from her childhood birthdays.

She and Ben flew out the week before her actual birthday, staying with Richie and Eddie in the city. It was basically a mini reunion for the four of them and Ben had his hands full.

The first night there Bev and Richie drank too much, leading to loud off-tune singing that Ben and Eddie had to put a stop to before neighbors started complaining. They managed to calm the two songbirds down, but then Richie started drunkenly gushing about Eddie. Not wanting to be outdone, Bev joined in, bragging about Ben. At a certain point, Eddie and Ben decided to go into another room, both a bit embarrassed by the partner war that was happening. When they made their way back to check on Bev and Richie, they found the two passed out next to each other.

For the rest of the week leading up to Bev’s birthday, she and Richie’s alcohol consumption was limited to prevent a repeat of the first night’s events. And eventually, the other Losers began arriving for her party.

The night of, they all got dressed up, readying themselves for the play. It had been awhile since Bev had thought about theatre, but she still remembered how much she had loved it when she was younger.

Before they left, Eddie handed Bev a small gift.

“I wasn’t sure whether I should give you this now or later, but I figured now worked,” he said.

Bev lifted a key on a necklace chain out of the box, holding it up to get a better look. There was a date etched into one side and Bev smiled lightly.

“Yeah, um, we remembered how you used to wear your key necklace and that’s the date you joined us at the quarry. The day you became a Loser.”

“Thanks Eddie, I love it.”

“Hey, it’s from both of us!” Richie interjected, seeing the necklace in Bev’s hands.

She looked between them, raising an eyebrow at Eddie. He simply nodded in response.

“But we got something else for you as well,” Richie said, coming over with a poorly wrapped gift.

“That’s just from Richie,” Eddie said quickly.

Bev opened the gift to find an iridescent pocket knife.

“For your protection. And it’s pretty like you,” Richie said with a stupid grin plastered on his face.

Bev laughed and pulled the two into a quick hug.

“Aww honey, it’s great.”

Eddie motioned for the necklace and assisted Bev in putting it on. With that, they were ready for the play.

The four of them met the others at the theatre and aside from Richie falling asleep in the second act, everything went well. They went out for drinks after and just spent time together. It was probably the best birthday Bev had ever had.


	10. 27 Years Later: Richie

He wasn’t actually sure what they were doing for his birthday. All Richie knew was Bev and Eddie had come up with a plan that everyone was seemingly on board with. It felt weird having the Losers plan another sort of surprise party after all the time that had passed. But he was excited for whatever it was.

Eddie wouldn’t tell him where they were going even as they drove to the party’s location. Richie was essentially a hostage in his boyfriend’s car. Every few minutes Richie would try to look out the window, hoping to get a quick idea of where they were headed. Eddie sighed after the third attempt and told Richie to grab the tie that was with his dry cleaning.

“Why am I doing this?” Richie asked as he held the tie in his hands.

“You need a blindfold if you’re going to insist on being impatient,” Eddie replied, not taking his eyes off the road.

“Ooh, kinky.”

Richie didn’t object though as he wrapped the tie around his head, covering his eyes. He let his head flop back against the head rest and waited for the car ride to end.

Apparently, the plan was karaoke. And they all still sounded like shit. It was fantastic.

Richie kicked it off with ‘I Think We’re Alone Now,’ going as loud and dramatic as he could. He tried to pull Eddie into the song but wasn’t able to convince him. Bev, however, was more than happy to join him. The two carried through the rest of the song together.

Bill picked up the mic next, making his way through two quick songs, one of which he performed with Mike. And once Eddie had had more to drink, he decided to just go for it. Richie wouldn’t stop shouting out cheers for him the entire time he was singing. It got to the point where Stan tried to use a pillow to muffle him, but Richie just kept going. Somehow, he made sure he wasn’t louder than Eddie though.

When Stan got up to sing, he chose a sad, slow song and stared Richie dead in the eyes the entire time it played out. But after he had finished, he smiled and did a quick more upbeat one with Patty and Richie.

Bev sang ‘You Got It (The Right Stuff)’ solo, singing mainly to Richie. But she would turn her attention to Ben or shoot him a quick wink every now and again. By the time she was done, she was out of breath and Richie was drunk to the point where his inhibitions were completely lowered.

So, he did what anyone in his position would do, he sang ‘Eddie My Love’ in a sloppy drunken voice. Despite the poor performance, Eddie kept having to look away, his face turning a bit pink. Richie finished up with the song and gave Eddie a quick kiss, flopping onto the couch beside him. 

The Losers performed a couple group songs, going over the top on both of them. They sang until they had to leave and even then, Bev and Richie kept singing with each other until they reached their cars.

It was a ridiculous night and Richie loved every second of it.


	11. 27 Years Later: Ben

Ben woke up and looked over at Bev lying beside him. It was already shaping up to be a beautiful birthday.

The two went about their day quite normally, taking it easy and enjoying each other’s company. They were halfway through breakfast when a knock sounded at their door. Bev got up to answer it and Ben stood to follow when he heard talking.

Rounding the corner, he caught sight of Bill and Mike standing in the doorway. After looking closer, he noticed Stan and Patty were there as well. It was a bit of a surprise, but a pleasant one. Ben just hadn’t been expecting any of his friends to show up at the house. Still, he was more than happy to see some of the Losers there. Bev had been the one to suggest meeting up earlier and the others had all agreed upon the idea.

The six of them settled around the table, discussing the plans they had made for the day ahead.

As they were all preparing to leave, Richie and Eddie finally showed up. Without any questions prompting his response, Eddie blamed their late arrival on Richie. None of them really cared aside from Eddie, so they just nodded and got on with the day.

It didn’t take long for them to get to the museum, but they were delayed by a couple of apparent fans coming up to greet Bill. The others waited on the sideline as Bill tried to get out of the situation at hand. Eventually, he was able to slip away from the couple and they made their way inside the museum. Ben was eager to check out the different installations, making his way through one after the other.

Walking through the museum lasted for a good amount of time, with Ben and Mike seeming the most interested. They read through the plaques beside the displays and Bev kept taking pictures of them while they weren’t paying attention.

Once Ben had had his fill of the museum, they all figured it was time to move on to the other activity they had decided on. And just like when they were young, the group left to get ice cream.

Upon getting their ice creams, Ben and Bev started sharing without giving it a second thought. It was simply a natural reflex, even after having forgotten each other for years. Some habits were just second nature to them. Little things picking right back up where they had left off.

That was how it was with all of the Losers. After being isolated for so long, it was comforting to know he had never truly been alone. And looking around him at his friends, Ben knew he would never have to be alone again. With the Losers around, he would always have someone looking out for him. Even if they couldn’t be with him in person.

Ben knew that he had several homes, one in each of the Losers’ hearts. And those homes were stronger than anything he could ever hope to build.


	12. 27 Years Later: Mike

Mike had thought a group road trip would be a good idea. He was mistaken. Sort of.

Everything had started off well enough. Bill had rented an RV, they had packed supplies, the Losers were on their way, and Stan had made it very clear he and Patty would be driving separately. All of that was fine. However, Mike had failed to think about the fact that there would be six of them packed into one RV for hours on end. It wasn’t horrible, but he had made some miscalculations.

Eddie insisted on driving and the only way he would let anyone else take over was if he had deemed himself ‘too tired for the road.’ Even then he was particular about who could drive in his place. Mike was out of the question since the man of the hour shouldn’t have to do that and Richie was never even an option. It wasn’t that Richie was a bad driver, it was just that Eddie liked to have him near when he slept because it helped with his nightmares. The three B’s were the only ones who could rightfully take the driver’s seat. But mainly, it was Ben. It helped him to be able to see the surroundings outside the vehicle.

Stan and Patty followed the RV closely in their own car, joining the others only when they got out. It was an unstated rule that Stan would not be stepping foot in the RV. He absolutely refused.

Mike had put together a map and list for the destinations he wanted to hit. Within the first day of driving, they had managed to see two on the list. Eddie may have been a cautious man, but he was also a pretty fast driver. It helped that the first two destinations weren’t too far removed from one another.

The first, an oddities shop boasting about a real werewolf paw, got a few laughs out of the group. Richie seemed to have an affinity for the hokey knick knacks and refused to stop making puns the entire time they were there. Eddie tried to quiet him but failed as he kept laughing at the increasingly stupid puns. The others ended up laughing along as well.

The second destination was an antique bookshop. It had old copies of Frankenstein, Dracula, nearly all of Jane Austen’s novels, and so many more. Bill and Mike let themselves get lost among the dusty hardcovers and worn-down paperbacks.

Stan was especially fond of the third stop, a small nature park. As they wandered along the path looking for any sign of wildlife, Stan fumbled in his pocket. He pulled out a whistle that he had forgotten the origin of for years and gave it a blow. The others paused for a moment, listening for a sound in return. A bird whistled back in the distance, a blue jay.

They drove past a big ball of twine on their way to the next destination and decided to stop to check it out. Bev found it funnier than any of the other Losers. For some reason, a big ball of twine was exactly her sense of humor.

Officially, the fourth stop was an old hospital that had been turned into a supernatural museum. All of the signs bragged about the number of ghosts that resided there and name dropped a couple of ghost hunting shows. Eddie refused to go inside, and Stan decided to stay behind with him. Richie was about to stick with Eddie and Stan, but Eddie assured him he was ok. Stan was with him. Ben and Patty quite enjoyed the hospital, for different reasons. Oddly enough, Patty was a bit of a supernatural nerd. Ben just thought the hospital was interesting, history wise and architecturally.

The second to last destination was a vehicular museum. It was a good follow up to the hospital, since Eddie actually enjoyed looking at all of the different cars. Richie kept making jokes about how he should have been a mechanic and Eddie smiled along.

The final stop was just a wide-open field on their drive home. It wasn’t anything noteworthy, but it was public property.

Eddie parked the RV in the grass, and they all followed Mike outside. He sat himself down on the ground, leaning back on his hands. The rest of the Losers settled down around him, just like they used to all those years ago. And as they looked up at the stars, Mike glanced over at his friends surrounding him. He could see them all at thirteen, staring at the sky from the field outside his house. It didn’t feel like those moments were all that long ago. Not anymore. Not since he got them back.

It was a nice way to close out his birthday, pointing out constellations he hadn’t thought about in a while. Connecting the stars to make one harmonious shape.


	13. 27 Years Later: Stan

A notebook rested on the counter, surrounded by some keys and a wallet. Stan stared down at his things, trying to remember if there was anything else he needed to grab. He went over the plans for the day, thinking of whatever he would be needing.

He sighed and grabbed two pens. Attaching them to the front of his notebook, Stan checked the time. They were going to be late. Great.

The Losers ended up arriving in increments, the last of them getting there twenty minutes after they were supposed to have left. The plans weren’t time sensitive, but still, Stan liked being on time. He made sure they were back out the door before too much time had passed. Patty gave his arm a light squeeze as they got in the car and he let out a heavy breath. It helped having Patty around, she was always able to calm him down.

By the time they got to the zoo, they were only thirty-five minutes off pace. Stan didn’t waste any time once they were inside, leading the way to the different enclosures.

He and Patty read the information about the animals to the others, Richie cutting in with color commentary. As they proceeded, everyone had devolved into laughter, even if no one was making any jokes.

They finally reached the big event, the bird enclosure. Stan pulled his notebook out of Patty’s bag and began to jot down the different birds they saw. He made note of all of the new ones he was seeing and commented continuously on what he knew about all of them. The group nodded along with the information, soaking in as much of it as they could. Stan always seemed to talk the most when he was excitedly rambling on about birds.

After strolling through the bird area, the group hurried to get to a presentation on tropical species. The speaker showed off a number of birds. She allowed a member of the audience to come up and interact every once in a while.

When she got to the audience participation for the last bird of the demonstration, a macaw, the Losers all started pointing at Stan. Bev let out a loud shout, trying to let the speaker know it was Stan’s birthday. Apparently, Bev was audible, and the worker decided to bring Stan up as the last participant. Patty took a good deal of pictures of Stan up on the little stage, making sure to get the macaw in each shot. He looked nervous, but he was grinning the entire time.

Richie made more than enough jokes about how Patty should fear for her marriage, Stan had clearly fallen in love on that stage. She assured Richie that she knew her marriage was safe, but she wasn’t sure their house would be macaw free when they got back.

The day winded to a close with a happy Stan and a handful of zoo postcards, all with birds on the front. An extra birthday present for the man of the hour. Each of the Losers had chosen a different bird and before Richie handed his over to Stan, he wrote ‘xoxo lover’ on the back. He had of course gone with a macaw.


	14. 27 Years Later: Eddie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last of the official ones

It felt like payback when Richie tied the blindfold around Eddie’s head. Every possible internal alarm was running on red alert in Eddie’s mind. He kept trying to scan his surroundings, but he couldn’t see anything. Richie was a talkative driver, but the conversation wasn’t always directed at Eddie. That became a lot more confusing when he couldn’t see where Richie was looking. Aside from the worry and confusion, the drive itself wasn’t too bad.

When they had finally parked, Eddie turned to his left and tried to calmly ask whether he could remove the blindfold. His question didn’t come out calmly, or even at a normal pace for that matter. Richie pulled the blindfold off in response, letting Eddie see that they were at an amusement park. An amusement park?

The others were waiting at the entrance to the park, looking far more eager than Eddie was feeling. They got in easily, walking through crowds and crowds of people. He couldn’t quite wrap his head around why they had decided an amusement park would be a good choice for his birthday.

But Eddie tried to roll with it. He did like the scenery, it was colorful and… happy. Maybe it wasn’t the worst choice. Either way, he would give it a shot.

The first few activities were low energy and then they stopped for food. Everything felt natural, nothing too much. And then Richie and Bev wanted to ride some of the rides. Bill got on board with the idea quickly, others joining in on it until Eddie was the only one still on the fence. They managed to convince him by suggesting easier rides to start with.

They went with some story-based rides for the first ones, slowly getting more intense as they continued. Eddie was doing quite well, he was enjoying himself more and more. Finally, they decided on a full-blown roller coaster and Eddie loved it. He was no longer questioning why he was at an amusement park on his birthday. The group made the rounds, trying to get on all of the different roller coasters available to them.

Turned out Eddie was something of an adrenaline junkie when it came to amusement parks. He seemed to gain more energy after each ride. Richie couldn’t get enough of how excited Eddie was, even going so far as to dub himself the king of party planning.

He wasn’t wrong either. Eddie was having an absolute blast. Until the last ride. Or, more accurately, what happened after the last ride.

They stepped off of the ride and everything seemed to be just as it had been with the other ones, perfectly fine. But then Richie stumbled off to the side. And hurled. Eddie decided that was where the amusement park celebrations should end. He didn’t listen as Richie objected, saying that he was fine, it was just a little barf.

The two headed back home, the other six following closely behind them. Eddie’s birthday calmed down after that. Once Richie had cleaned himself up, the Losers just talked the rest of the night. They ended up crashing at Richie and Eddie’s for the night. It was a good birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope these have been enjoyable. Don't read the last one if you don't want sad, it's sad and I am stupid. End here, where it is happy


	15. Sad Eddie Shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is short and sad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance. My mind likes to see me suffer

Richie hadn’t left Derry yet. He hadn’t been able to draw himself away from the hellish town. He hadn’t been able to draw himself away from the last place he had seen Eddie.

It was a mistake to stay, he knew that. Especially since it was getting close to Eddie’s birthday and Richie had no clue what to do with that information. He had missed 27 birthdays. And there wouldn’t be anymore.

Eventually the day came about, and Richie forced himself to do something. It might have been hard to live with reality, but it was harder to think of Eddie’s birthday being forgotten by the world. So, he pulled himself down to Neibolt. The sight of where the house had been made his stomach twist, but he was there for Eddie. He had to stick around. At least long enough to make it worth it.

He fiddled with the bouquet in his hands before heading up to the ruins. Richie set the flowers down in front of the crater, not bothering to hold back his tears.

Pushing his glasses up, he covered his eyes with one hand. It felt wrong to be there. It felt wrong to be there alone. When he had composed himself enough, Richie sat on the dirt beneath him and opened his mouth. For the second time in a short while, he had no idea what to say.

So, he just started to talk.

“Happy birthday, Eds.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jk jk, Eddie was just stuck in the rubble and Richie heard him and saved him. They lived happily ever after the end. I have no commitment to canon, I will fight it in the parking lot of an abandoned Toys ‘r Us. Same goes for Stephen King and Andy Muschietti, I will fight them. Eddie is fine. I am sorry for this


End file.
